Our office in Leesburg recently became a Certified Green Business through a program called the “Green Business Challenge” sponsored by Loudoun County and the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce. The 2011 Challenge was a great way for our office to focus on steps that we can take, both individually and collectively, to adopt environmentally sound business practices in the workplace as well as practices to consider at home.

The county provided a detailed Green Business Challenge Scorecard, and this was our guide in assessing our office environment and current and potential green practices. Focus areas included education and outreach efforts, energy consumption, recycling and waste management, water usage, and environmental pollutants and indoor air quality.

Some of our most important efforts have actually taken place outside of our office. We maintain active participation on the Town of Leesburg’s Watershed Committee, which includes participating in local conferences and giving seminars on subjects such as low-impact development. We also helped to design, permit, and coordinate construction of a rain garden in one of the town’s community parks; and developed information packets for volunteers. These initiatives have helped demonstrate our commitment to sustainability.

Within the office, we responded to the challenge with a number of small steps, such as using recycling bins now found at every desk and throughout the office; using coffee mugs instead of paper cups, switching to naturally derived hand and dish soap in the food preparation area; and adding plants for better indoor air quality. We also addressed systemic changes such as offering hoteling for other Dewberry employees who live nearby but are based in other offices. We have reduced the energy use and cost associated with travel—for example, we use employee’s own commuting and travel routes to deliver items to other offices or local jurisdictions.

Many of the scorecard items focused on the building, so we worked closely with the landlord to identify existing sustainable features and the potential for improvements. We researched some of Dewberry’s internally specified office items, and learned, for example, that the carpet used is Green Label Plus certified. Many of our identity materials, such as business cards, are also printed on recycled and FSC-certified paper.

To get the process started, we formed a “Green Team.” Other offices, including Gainesville, have also found this to be a useful step in the process. From there, it’s helpful to have a checklist, such as Loudoun County’s scorecard, and set some goals. Most important is to maintain a high level of creativity—don’t be afraid to try something new and don’t discount the simple changes because they can add up to help make a difference. We plan to keep working at it and earn an even higher score in next year’s challenge.